Number 43: My parents met when my Mom , Fanny Sirkin, and  her friend were in Durban on holiday in May 1956. The two young women went to a Yom Haatzmaut Celebration where they met my Dad who was a doctor doing his housemanship. Interestingly, both  my parents did not normally go to something like a Yom Haatzmaut celebration. My Mom, who had liked wearing nail polish, for some reason did not wear nail polish that night. My Dad did not like nail polish on women and for the rest of my Mom’s life she did not wear nail polish (although she did have pedicures!). After 5 days of dating, my father asked to marry my Mom.

Hackey (Harold) and Fanny married on 6 January 1957 at the Great Synagogue, Gardens, Cape Town. Fanny was 21 and Hackey 26.

Fanny, who came from Keetmanshoop in SWA was the youngest of 6 siblings who by the age of 11 had lost her dad and was alone in Boarding school in Cape Town at Good Hope Seminary High School. By 23, her mom Ida Chana (with whom Hackey and Fanny and Sheryl were living) died. She was extraordinarily close to her siblings and we grew up surrounded by many aunts, uncles and cousins.

My parents had the most incredible marriage and relationship during the 56 years that they were married.